Bullet Journals What Is A Bullet Journal Best Bullet Journals To Buy

Bullet journals are exploding in popularity as more and more people become excited by organization. (We had the KonMari Method in 2019, Get Organized With the Home Editin 2020, and now, people are doodling elaborate lists, decorating pages with stickers, and tracking their daily life in bullet journals.) But if you’re new to the trend, you might be wondering: What exactly are bullet journals? The latest trend in organization and journaling, bullet journaling (also known as BuJo) is a specific type of journaling style that prioritizes listing, uses symbols, and categorizes collections (annual, monthly, weekly, and daily logs). The original The Bullet Journal was created by Ryder Caroll, a digital product designer, who authored the bestselling book The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future. According to Carroll, The Bullet Journal method is “a mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system.” It’s a system meant to be all-encompassing of every area of the journaler’s life—from work life and productivity to tracking meals, moods, and goals. But, what does that really mean? Here’s everything you need to know about bullet journaling, plus our top 25 picks for the best BuJos of 2022.

What is a Bullet Journal?

“A bullet journal is a way to organize your life,” Josie Muncaster, small business owner of the Etsy shop, Jollipop Studios, says. “It can be an assortment of an agenda/schedule, to-do lists, brainstorming, keeping track of finances or mental health, and more.” When she first launched her shop, Muncaster focused on selling sticker packs and greeting cards. Now, she’s recently launched a new item—bullet journals—thanks to their increasing popularity and her own positive experience using one. Muncaster uses her own bullet journal as a tool not just to keep her biz organized and to track her moods and mental health. “I use one and I use it as a daily journal, so it’s organized like your standard planner but instead of using it like a schedule, I write how I felt that day, what I did, something positive that happened, or something to reflect on,” Muncaster says. Bullet journals are categorized by a few main traits. First, numbered pages. If your bullet journal doesn’t come with numbered pages, that’s okay. You can always number them yourself. Bullet journals usually come with pages that are lined, dotted, or featuring a grid. Most commonly, bullet journals come in the A5 size, but it depends on your preference. One of the most recognizable facets of a bullet journal is the map key of specific symbols used. According to The Balance Small Business, the “official” symbols include:

.   Task (dot)X  Completed task<  Task scheduled>  Task migratedO Event–  Notes*  Denotes this task as a priority!  Highlights note-worthy ideas or something you need to rememberEye doodle indicates something you want to explore more

Next, bullet journals traditionally include an index page. Most bullet journals will come with one, but if yours doesn’t have one, you could always make one yourself. The goal of the index page is a lot like a book’s table of contents; the index page tells you what you can find on each page. Bullet journals are categorized by collections—a fancy term for logs of different time frames. Most often, a bullet journal features a future log—a four-page spread featuring the year’s calendar, filled out with important events, goals, and future tasks—a two-page monthly log with the month’s calendar and a to-do list, and a daily log that handles all of your day-to-day activities. Most bullet journals also have designated spaces for modules, monthly trackers. Some things people may want to track include moods and emotions, meals, fitness goals, finances, habits, and more. You can also add notes, goals, ideas, data, and anything else you might want to jot down and remember.

How Do You Create a Bullet Journal?

Perhaps one reason so many different people love this method of journaling is just how personalizable it is. “The beauty of the bullet journal is that it’s completely customizable to your needs, so if someone needs a day-to-day planner, they can make their bullet journal that,” Muncaster explains. “If they want a place to keep track of mental health, it can be that. It has a lot of different uses and the only limit is one’s own creativity.” Though, Muncaster points out, if you feel like you’re lacking in that creativity your bullet journal needs, there is a ton of inspiration on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and even TikTok. To fit Muncaster’s needs, she doesn’t just use it to keep track of her biz; it’s also a mental health tracker. “I keep a monthly mood tracker at the beginning of each month because I am Bi-Polar, " Muncaster explains. “I like to see when my moods change and fluctuate throughout the month and look back on the year. It’s helpful for my therapist too.” So, how does she do it? “I draw little doodles on the page for each day of the month and choose colors to indicate my mood on a scale of 1 to 10,” Muncaster says of her personalized mental health and mood tracker. “Then each day, I [fill in] the doodle with the color that matches how I feel that day.” If you’re looking to create your own mood tracker, Muncaster’s tips are a great place to start. It’s also a meaningful way to get into the habit of journaling. Because the bullet journal is totally personalized to your preferences, you don’t have to add a mood tracker. You can add any kind of tracker you want or no trackers. So, then, how do you create the bullet journal of your dreams? If you’re starting with a blank slate, you can start by numbering all the pages of your journal, then creating your own index page. Then, brainstorm what kinds of collections, modules, and other themed pages you may want. Again, look on social media platforms for inspo! In addition to a physical bullet journal, you may also want to stock up on fine-point markers, stickers, washi tape, and stencils depending on how much you want to personalize and decorate your journal. Best Organizing Tips

How Do Bullet Journals Work?

Bullet journals work by giving you a one-stop shop to all the lists you might need or want. Instead of having different pieces of paper shoved into drawers featuring your lists or a handful of organizational apps that all do different things, a bullet journal is the one space for all of it. A bullet journal can help you stay organized and on top of your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks, goals, and events. In that way, it’s a lot like a planner. But the bullet journal isn’t just a planner. It also features pages and pages for lists and modules that can also help you stay organized and bring awareness to how you may feel. For example, Muncaster says she tracks her daily moods due to her Bi-Polar diagnosis. With this kind of use, it comes in handy during weekly therapy sessions because it’s a physical, visual key to how she’s been feeling over the last week. “It’s nice to wrap up every day by coloring in my mood tracker and writing a reflection on the day in the ‘daily’ section,” Muncaster adds. If you use your bullet journal to track other things, like fitness goals, daily meals, and other habits, it could work to help you stay motivated. By acting as an accountability buddy (but in journal form), a bullet journal can help you stay on task—no matter what task it is. Here at Parade.com, we’re all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned. 

25 Best Bullet Journals

1. Dreamer Bullet Journal, $11.60 at Etsy Created by Muncaster herself and sold at her Etsy shop, Jollipop Studios, the Dreamer Bullet Journal is a soft-covered journal with 64 dotted pages for bullet journalers ready to explore their own creativity. It’s available in three different colors: blue, mint, and pastel pink.
2. Celestial Gold Vegan Leather Bullet Journal, $22.80 at Etsy This A5-sized grey hard-covered journal is bound in vegan letter, so writing down your hopes, dreams, and to-do lists doesn’t have to hurt any animals. With gold-foiled edges that match the front cover’s gold foil crescent moon design, this journal features 160 pages of dotted art paper and a re-enforced rear pocket for pen storage, too. Best 100 Gifts Under $100
3. Annual Supplement Journal, $34 at Silk + Sonder Silk + Sonder makes gorgeous monthly bullet journals that are available for purchase by subscription, but the Annual Supplement journal is perfect for bullet journaling during any time of the year. The journal’s designed bullet journal layouts include your wildest dreams list and goal mapping, a bucket list, a vision board, and a savings tracker, too.
4. Scallop Spine, $22.94 at Papier Papier is a premiere  shop for journals and planners and it’s no coincidence that they make some great bullet journals, too. This journal in particular features fun color-blocking on the cover and is customizable in that you can choose between hard and soft cover, color combinations, and whether you awnt lined, dotted, or plain paper. You can also add a title, your name, or initials.
5. Dot Journaling? The Set, $10.55 at Walmart For those just starting out their bullet journaling journey, there’s the Dot Journaling: The Set, available at Walmart. It features a breakdown of lists, symbols, spreads, trackers, and a blank dot-grid journaling space, too, in its 208 different pages.
6. Bullet Journal Notebook Recognized by many bullet journalers as one of the best bullet journals of all-time, the Leuhctturm1917 is formatted with prompts and modules so you don’t have to do the bulk of the work.
7. Edition 1, $19.95 at The Bullet Journal The Bullet Journal: Edition 1 also comes from Carroll, the genius behind the method of bullet journaling. We’d recommend the Edition 2’s, the most recent installment of the journals, but unfortunately, they sound out really quickly!
8. Basic Bullet Journal Starter Kit, $45 at Etsy Need some help kick-starting your bullet journal habit? The Basic Bullet Starter Kit is perfect for anyone looking to get involved in the trend and form a habit. The kit comes features a 160-dotted-page journal (available in 11 colors), a set of 12 pastel highlighters, and one sheet of washi stickers in the design of your choice.
9. Pre-Made Bullet Journal, $17.65 at Etsy This faux leather journal has 272 numbered pages that feature 12 unlabeled monthly calendars, 60 weekly agendas, and more than 125 blank grid dot pages for all your other modules and lists.
10. Moleskine Art Watercolor Album Moleskin is one of the most beloved brands amongst the bullet journaling community, though it can be on the pricier side. This pocket-sized hardcover journal features 60 blank pages to fulfill all your bullet journaling needs.
11. Linen Notebook Fabric Cover Journal, $7.96 at Etsy Have you ever seen a bullet journal so pretty?! In addition to the linen cover’s color options, you can also choose between lined and grid pages. They’ll look cute on any desk and keep you on track, too!
12. The Ultimate Bullet Journal Starter Kit or Gift Set, $40 at Etsy The Ultimate Bullet Journal Starter Kit or Gift Set includes everything you need for bullet journaling… except for the kitchen sink.
13. Filofax Malden Leather Organizer Agenda Calendar Bundle If you’re willing to splurge on a bullet journal you’ll have forever, the Filofax Malden Leather Organizer hits just about every bullet point. Its pages include diary pages, contacts, to-do lists, quadrille notepaper, and more.
14. A5 Dotted Journal, $21.30 at Etsy If the Stargazer cover design isn’t your cup of tea, this 50-page bullet journal also comes in three other designs as well. Spiral-bound and featuring round-cornered pages, this A5 bullet journal features blank or dotted pages.
15. Northbooks Dotted Bullet Notebook Journal For an inexpensive bullet journal option, the Northbooks Dotted Bullet Notebook Journal comes in a three-pack for less than $20. It’s totally eco-friendly, thanks to recycled cream paper and a natural jute fiber cover that’s also made from 50 percent post-consumer recycled materials.
16. Zero Waste, Recycled, and Lined Bamboo Notebook, $29.95 Love journaling but hate what the wasted paper does to the planet? This is a bullet journal you can feel good about as its hard cover is made from natural bamboo.
17. Dotted Grid Notebook and Journal If you buy this Dotted Grid Notebook and Journal in yellow, you’ll probably never lose it. But more than its cover’s bright hue, this bullet journal features 128 grid pages on which to journal, make lists, and take notes.
18. Bullet Dotted Journal Kit In this Bullet Dotted Journal Kit, you get the A5 bullet grid journal (with 224 pages), fineliner colored pens, stencils, stickers, washi tape, and a pen for writing. AKA—everything you need to bullet journal.
19. Spiral Notebook Bullet Journal, $7.68 at Etsy Personalize this beautiful bullet journal (available in sizes A4, A5, and A6 in both hard and soft cover) with your name on the front, then use its pages (160 for soft cover, 240 for hard cover) for filling with your lists and trackers.
20. Dot Bullet Paper Notebook and Journal With a hard cork cover and made from premium thick paper, this eco-friendly Dot Bullet Paper Notebook and Journal also comes with free sticky tabs (for more effective organization) and a ruler (for keeping those self-drawn lines straight).
21. Blank Journal - Feel Dusty Rose Linen, $19.99 at Promptly Journals Collect all four in the set—Believe, Create, Feel, and Think.
22. Minimalism Art Premium Hard Cover Notebook Journal Designed and made in San Francisco, this bullet journal is a premium hard cover with numbered pages, a gusseted pocket, ribbon bookmark, and ink-proof paper.
23. Paperideas A6 Pastel Dot Grid Notebooks, $14.19 at Etsy These hard cover thread-bound books (available in black, blue, pink, grey, and green) feature 188 numbered pages, 5mm dotted pages, a two-page table of contents, two page markers, and an expandable pocket. Plus, they’re so the aesthetic.
24. Set of 3 A5 Dotted Notebook and Travel Journal Want to get in on the trend but don’t want to spend a fortune on just one journal? Check out this three-pack of A5 dotted notebooks to get started.
25. kelkaa Dotted Bullet Notebook, $14.95 at Etsy The Kelkaa is not your standard bullet journal. Towards the end of this travel-themed notebook, you’ll find doodle icons and 12 iconic international landmarks, as well as a hand-drawn map of the USA, world, and the seven continents. (You can also color these in!) And it also comes with stickers! Once you’ve got your bullet journal, check out the best essential oils for stress relief.